Darts icon Phil Taylor was surprised to hear that Luke Littler plans to do minimal practice before defending his £1m World Darts Championships title. Littler aims to join the exclusive club of players who have retained the Sid Waddell Trophy, with the prestigious tournament commencing on Thursday night. Facing off against Lithuanian Darius Labanauskas in the first round, the 18-year-old from Warrington has opted for limited practice, a decision that has amazed Taylor, a 16-time world champion.
In an interview with SunSport’s Flight Club, Taylor expressed his astonishment at Littler’s preparation strategy, noting that while the young player seems confident, his approach to practice differs significantly from Taylor’s own rigorous training routines over his three-decade career. Taylor emphasized the importance of mental readiness for players entering the championship at Ally Pally, highlighting the significance of early mental preparation and avoiding excessive practice to prevent fatigue and maintain sharp focus throughout the tournament.
With a substantial prize of £1m up for grabs this year, Taylor cautioned against overtraining, advising players to strike a balance between practice and rest to ensure peak performance over the demanding three-week competition period. Stressing the significance of mental fortitude and physical readiness, Taylor shared insights from his own championship experiences, underlining the necessity of proper rest and strategic preparation to excel under pressure at the pinnacle event in darts.